


Kiss Me At Midnight (Under The Pier)

by Still_beating_heart



Series: Cheers To Fanfiction (And 2021) [2]
Category: Animal Kingdom (TV)
Genre: First Kiss, M/M, Married Deran Cody/Adrian Dolan, New Year's Eve, New Year's Kiss, teenagers kissing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:48:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28245693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Still_beating_heart/pseuds/Still_beating_heart
Summary: New Year's Eve 2006
Relationships: Deran Cody/Adrian Dolan
Series: Cheers To Fanfiction (And 2021) [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2069043
Comments: 4
Kudos: 27





	Kiss Me At Midnight (Under The Pier)

**Author's Note:**

> First section is the teen years (I think Deran was supposed to be 25 in the opening season so we're saying they're about 15/16 so I guess if two underaged boys kissing bothers you then skip this). Second section is a future look-in (takes place in There's Not Much Left universe, but no need to read those to get this).

Adrian finds Deran exactly where he knew he'd be. Under the pier. Smoking a joint, watching the surf as it rolls in, the glow of the moon throwing sparkles off the surface and lighting Deran's face in dim hues of beauty. 

Adrian whistles their coded call before he sits down next to him, dropping his shoulder to nudge at him. Deran doesn't look over, but he does offer the joint. He's quiet for a long time, nothing that Adrian didn't already expect. Something's been different these last few months, something that has made Deran retreat even further into himself. He knows that Julia leaving has been hard, but there's something else too. Something he knows Deran is too stubborn to share. Or maybe can't find the words for. 

"Surf's supposed to be good tomorrow," he offers after he passes the joint back over.

Deran shrugs, mumbling towards his knees, "Smurf's got some family plans or some shit."

Adrian doesn't know exactly what the Codys do, just like everyone else in Oceanside, but he knows enough to keep his mouth shut. No one is fooled into thinking Smurf is just a landlady. And no one is dumb enough to turn down the donations she makes, everyone just knows you take what she gives, never ask for more, and never pry. 

He sighs, leaning back on his elbows in the sand, watching Deran's profile. He knows a lot more about his best friend than he'd ever speak, and sometimes talking to Deran is like talking to a streetlamp. Bright, but silent. 

"Think Craig's looking for you yet?"

"Nah, he's on Renn's stash tonight, probably won't see him until tomorrow afternoon at the earliest."

"You going home tonight?"

"Probably not."

There's no need for him to say that Smurf's throwing a rager for his older brothers and the entire neighborhood's worth of underaged kids who can go there and get drunk and high while the cops stay away. When Deran goes home tomorrow there will probably be strangers passed out in his bed. 

"You sleeping here?"

A shrug is all he gets in response. It wouldn't be the first time. Won't be the last. Adrian wishes the stubborn shit wasn't too proud to just take the offer to stay at his house for what it is, just a friend looking out for a friend. He's not judging him for not wanting to go home. Hell, Adrian doesn't want to go home half the time, and sure his Dad is ribbing him about not having a girlfriend, and Jess is never around now that she's got a boyfriend. He's pretty sure Mom knows he's gay, and she won't make a thing of it. 

Looking to his right, watching the bright blue eyes that are reflecting the moonlight and stars in the same manner as the ocean out before them, they've come to a halt on his lips. Lingering there for so long that Adrian squirms under the scrutiny. Then they flit away as though it never happened.

"Any New Year's resolutions?" he wonders, for lack of better conversation.

Deran snorts, takes another toke, passes it over. Their fingers brush and the familiar tingle that rises in Adrian's chest doesn't disappoint. He needs to convince himself not to feel things for Deran. Even if he was gay, he'd never want someone like Adrian.

"Maybe," is what he finally mumbles, still aimed at his knees, drawn up to his chest. He chews on the inside of his cheek, head slowly turning towards Adrian, eyes landing on his lips when he blows out the smoke.

"Do tell," he urges, nudging him with his elbow to pass the joint back over.

This time when they pass, his hand closes over Adrian's. He can feel the blush creeping up his chest, tingles in his fingertips while he waits for Deran to shake it all off, pretend it didn't happen, pretend there was a reason, or it was an accident, or maybe mumble something about being too stoned to give a shit. Instead, with his twinkling eyes still locked onto Adrian's through the dimness under the pier, he clears his throat, "how about I just show you?"

"Show me?" his voice sounds breathy and idiotic, but he supposes it's just him and Deran here so he has no one to impress. 

There's a question written across the surface of his irises, a question Adrian knows the answer to and he'd be a moron not to answer it. It might be the only time Deran ever asks it, he takes a deep breath, tilts his head in the beginning of a nod and Deran closes the gap between them. His fingers taking a gentle hold on Adrian's chin, lips meeting his softly, brushing over them as Adrian closes his eyes. He lingers there, pressing just barely, only enough for their lips to lock together as though they belong that way. Tingles rip over Adrian's scalp, wondering what he should do, if he's supposed to open his mouth, or trace Deran's lips with his tongue. If he's supposed to reach out, pull him closer, or let him take the lead. Adrian's never been kissed before, he has no idea what he's doing. He's certain Deran has kissed girls before, all the Cody boys are sexually active early. It's obvious. 

He feels Deran adjust against his lips, and he's sure he's supposed to be doing something, anything to show him that he's interested, that he's not denying the advance, that this is the most incredible moment Adrian has ever experienced; but his entire body is frozen in a wave of tumbling tingles that's ripping through his body inch by inch until it exits his lips against Deran's and he feels Deran's rise in a smile before he draws away. 

He leaves his eyes closed for a moment, giving Deran the time to get up and run away if he wants to. Then he won't have to look at his face when he tells him that was a mistake, that he was just testing things out, or that wasn't what he expected. But he doesn't. He's still there when Adrian opens his eyes. He's still there, right there, only a breath away from his face, and his eyes are still twinkling. Now with the smile that's risen on his lips the image steals Adrian's breath away and he leans in again. Quickly, chaste, but firm. 

Adrian feels his eyes go wide, staring in a stunned stupor as Deran gets to his feet, grins at him. A sight so rare, it starts Adrian's heart fiercely thudding against his ribcage. Blood rushing in his ears, but not loud enough to hide the sound of Deran's voice, "happy New Year," as he backs away.

Adrian is still sitting there with a damp butt in the wet sand under the pier when he realizes that in the back of his head, in the part of his brain that wasn't rushing with 'Deran, Deran, Deran,' there was a countdown happening in the streets of Oceanside. There were fireworks going off. And there was a kiss at midnight. A kiss that, if he understood correctly, is one that Deran made a New Year's resolution out of. His cheeks heat up at the thought of this being something he can have more than once. He knows nothing with Deran will ever be easy, he'll never make this a simple one-time kiss, he'll never be able to allow himself an open relationship with Adrian. But for now, that's okay. He's in it for the hard just as much as the easy.

\--------------

The waves are lapping the shore gently, moonlight dancing off the surface, salt in his face, Deran at his side. Their private spot on the beach, walk to work, walk to surf. A dog, a home. A small one on an island in paradise. 

Adrian spins the ring on his left ring finger, a little scuffed already. Proudly worn. 

Deran's hand thumps down on Grommet's ribs when she comes barreling out of the ocean to drop the stick in the sand and lay down next to him. Taking a moment to watch his husband's profile in the night. The only thing more beautiful than the ocean is the man beside him. He feels himself smiling, reaching out to take Deran's chin in his fingers. A chin full of beard, dried sand, dried salt. A chin he gets to touch whenever he wants. A chin beneath a set of lips he gets to kiss whenever he wants. 

"Any resolutions this year?" he wonders quietly.

Deran snorts, watches Adrian's eyes for a long moment. His hand rising from his side to take a hold of Adrian's free one, folding fingers through fingers and smiling gently, "just something I should probably do more often."

"Yeah? Do tell," he feels his lips rise in a smile, memories of the kid beneath the pier flashing through his mind. Memories of the years between now and then. The ones together, the ones apart, the ones spent as a dirty little secret. To tell the truth, his favorite years have been the ones here. Of course they have. 

Deran's lips twitch into a smile, one he's been wearing so much more freely than ever before in their lives together, "I'd rather just show you."

"I am absolutely all for that," he barely has time to finish his thought before Deran's lips are on his. Soft, but firm and urgent. Passionate in ways he never allowed himself to be before. And this time, Adrian knows exactly how to respond. By kissing him back. Just as eagerly. Those same old tingles rising, never disappointing as he parts his lips for Deran to deepen the kiss. A kiss he could spend the rest of his life seeking comfort in. A kiss he's pretty certain, if he understood correctly, is a kiss Deran intends on doing a whole lot more of. 

When his lips leave Adrian's, it's only long enough to whisper, "happy New Year."

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks friends. Cheers to my user subscribers, fandom friends, and anyone else reading this. Happy New Year :)


End file.
